The goal of this build is to defy the "glass cannon" stereotype: in other words, make a Striker that can hit hard, yet is defensively solid. This build accomplishes that by taking the Pathfinder Paragon Path, which provides great durability in the form of renewable temporary hit points, which is a great addition to the Ranger defensive chassis.

This build plays in a similar fashion to most Rangers: isolate your foe, toss out flurries of attack rolls, and bring him down fast. You can use your durability to support other party members, or just do your job better because allies don't need to be hovering around you. While your DPR is respectable, burst damage is what you're really into - so don't be shy to let it rip and down foes in one round of offensive brutality. After all, it's what Rangers do.

Questions, thoughts, and comments are always welcome.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
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An important part of being a Striker is knowing how much damage you can produce. Here, we will be examining the build's Damage Per Round (or DPR) values, as well as Daily and Encounter novas, each of which makes the use of an action point. These novas will be compared against the largest known HP values for an Elite (Daily novas) or Standard (Encounter novas), to figure out where they stand.

DPR

NOTE: All DPR calculations are made against an enemy of an AC equal to the character's level + 14, and other defenses equal to the character's level + 12.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

But my nova calculations are what really make it hot. I can still oneshot standards and elites while still being hella hard to kill.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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I've been waiting for you to make something like this, the pathfinder deserves more love than it gets. Well done!

EDIT: If you have the gold free, you could pick up a crown of victory and make a note about potential double action points in a round using the pathfinder's Act Together. I know you don't like considering other party members,but it's worth mentioning - all it takes is one party member to spend an AP, not hard to do imho, especially if they know what you're capable of with it.

San Francisco Bay Area D&Der.
Loyal fan of the Birthright campaign setting.

I have indeed considered the Doomguard Marauder PP. Also, Gauntlets of Destruction would make that an extra 84 damage.

In this case, the power of the Pathfinder lies in that I get an extra move action out of the AP. Combined with the Martial Mastery feat to recharge Encounter powers, it means I get another attack in compared to the Marauder, so the damage edge for the Marauder is actually quite small, and the situation could even be reversed depending on how much buffing I have access to. Additionally, going for Marauder would have an opportunity cost in a feat for Fighter Multiclass (which I do not take), along with the fact that the Pathfinder makes me a hell of a lot tougher than Doomguard Marauder, and it has better powers as well.

Pathfinder is a very underestimated Paragon Path in my mind, even though it's enjoyed a Blue rating in my guide for quite a long time.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
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I'm afraid not. Even what I consider to be the weaker links (Two-Weapon Defense and Two-Weapon Fighting) are more important because without them my AC value will be mediocre. Additionally, the Pathfinder's Wrong Step 11E gives me an arguably stronger version of the Fighter's Battle Awareness.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

How are you getting the extra minor action during your nova rounds? I'm also curious what's allowing you to reroll 1's, sounds useful and I can't seem to find it

"All I hear now is the sound of the Charop boards and
all their builds popping" ~ Mithreinmaethor
"Oh I forgot, common sense no longer exists. It died with the invent of the internet age. ~ Thunder_Dragonbane
~ 1001 Reasons to Love 4E

Pathfinder's Action nets me an extra move action on an AP. I turn it into a minor and use it to attack.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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Ahh that's where it's coming from. Does it actually allow you to convert the move action into a minor action?

"All I hear now is the sound of the Charop boards and
all their builds popping" ~ Mithreinmaethor
"Oh I forgot, common sense no longer exists. It died with the invent of the internet age. ~ Thunder_Dragonbane
~ 1001 Reasons to Love 4E

Oh ok I see it now. Still learning the particulars >_< Could you shed some light on where the rerolls of 1's are coming from? I could use something like that lol

"All I hear now is the sound of the Charop boards and
all their builds popping" ~ Mithreinmaethor
"Oh I forgot, common sense no longer exists. It died with the invent of the internet age. ~ Thunder_Dragonbane
~ 1001 Reasons to Love 4E

Drow Knife is just for coolness. You're not supposed to actually attack anyone with it.

And yeah the reroll all 1's for damage is from the Gauntlets of Destruction. As far as straight nova, my preferred choices right now are Doomguard Marauder and Bloodfury Hunter (which will likely be my next build).

Doomguard Marauder is a bit different in build though; my Handbook has a link to a post where someone used a Stormsoul Genasi with Promise of Storm and two Lightning weapons, which works great due to the fact that Strike of Unmaking kills resistances. I may have to rehash that.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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Yup, that's as constructive as I go for optimization builds. All I can offer is that Demigod is bland and I hope you at least considered Eternal Defender, for the eternally-entertaining Large Weapons. I guess you just fall under the Heavy Blade Mastery bar in that case, though.

But c'mon, giant bastard swords. Two of them. Y'know ya waaant it.

I don't use emoticons, and I'm also pretty pleasant. So if I say something that's rude or insulting, it's probably a joke.

I actually want Medium Fullblades as an Eternal Defender because they have free high crit and the same d12 damage dice as Large Bastard Swords.

That said, the Demigod v. Eternal Defender debate has been raging since the Pit Fighter, and I still feel Demigod is stronger, especially for a build that promotes itself as a tough-guy Striker. Also, thanks for the catch on Rending Tempest.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

Quick question, if Versatile Expertise were free, what would you get in its place? Would you consider Quickdraw, and ditch the scabbards? Or maybe improved/superior initiative? Or maybe pick something to be retrained to Beasthide Shifting at Paragon?

Also I think I like Boots of Free Movement better than Boots of Eagerness for this build. The build is minor action starved already, I don't know how often converting a minor into a move will be necessary. But spending a minor to shake off immobilized or restrained can be well worth it.

If Expertise were free I'd likely be looking at Battle Awareness or Two-Weapon Opening, though Beasthide Shifting is also attractive.

Boots of Free Movement look interesting. I'll consider them.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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I actually want Medium Fullblades as an Eternal Defender because they have free high crit and the same d12 damage dice as Large Bastard Swords.

Clever ^_^ Actually, I don't think that will let you use Two Handers one handed. I'm pretty sure it just ups the damage of the weapon, not allow you to wield a size up like in 3.5.

EDIT: Nope, you're right again. Cheers

"All I hear now is the sound of the Charop boards and
all their builds popping" ~ Mithreinmaethor
"Oh I forgot, common sense no longer exists. It died with the invent of the internet age. ~ Thunder_Dragonbane
~ 1001 Reasons to Love 4E

As a DM i would not allow the Blood Fury Drow Long Knife to be used in this way as you are not proficient with its use. Also Yes you can Substitute a minor for a move action as described in Players Handbook and that makes the Pathfinder Paragon very nice with your Nova.

It really makes no difference, dude. I could pick up a Blood Fury Longsword and have the same deal. I just picked up a Long Knife cause it looks cool and I wanted one.

Given that you're never actually going to attack with it, I'd say your indignation is completely uncalled for.

@Agora: Actually, it does let you wield Fullblades. Large monsters can wield Medium two-handers one-handed without penalty, and Eternal Defender's L24 feature allows you to wield weapons as if you were Large (instead of just being able to wield Large weapons, which is what Oversized says).

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

As a DM i would not allow the Blood Drow Knife to be used in this way as you are not proficient with its use. Also Yes you can Substitute a minor for a move action as described in Players Handbook and that makes the Pathfinder Paragon very nice with your Nova.

Just because you're not proficient with it doesn't mean you can't activate it's powers. The only thing proficiency imparts is the bonus to hit.

If you were my DM i'd have to call you anal... the guy is just getting it because it looks cool. He can have it on a quaterstaff if he wanted to...

Back to the Eternal Defender... 2 Large Waraxes would be sick.. 3d6 damage..

Well, Fullblades get High Crit too. And they don't require me to stretch my stats like Axes do (I'd have to get Con 17 for Axe Mastery). Also, the +1 to hit makes a decent DPR difference in favor of the Heavy Blade. Lastly, Large Waraxes deal 2d6 damage, and I'd go for Waraxes, since Gauntlets of Destruction will make them average more damage and Deadly Axe will get them high crit.

I actually need a Heavy Blade or an Axe for Blood Fury, but yeah, at least you got the point.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
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No indignation , Just felt that it was a bit of a reach to have an extra Weapon just for the effect, if your never going to use it ( My DM actually only allows us to have 1 weapon with a property at a time or 2 if your a Two weapon fighter, all other weapons we carry would just be normal magic weapons ).

I like your build and Think i might even use it for a bad guy thanks for your time in making and posting it.

No indignation , Just felt that it was a bit of a reach to have an extra Weapon just for the effect, if your never going to use it ( My DM actually only allows us to have 1 weapon with a property at a time or 2 if your a Two weapon fighter, all other weapons we carry would just be normal magic weapons ).

1.) How is it "a bit of a reach"?2.) What your DM allows is completely irrelevant to this conversation.

How is it a reach? It's 680 gp invested when you have enough gold to wipe your a$$ with the sum.

And it's not like ruling it doesn't work with a Long Knife changes anything: I'd just buy another Bastard Sword with the property. That said, it makes it a bit less fluffy.

I cannot comprehend how this could possibly be an issue.

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads:

Well, Fullblades get High Crit too. And they don't require me to stretch my stats like Axes do (I'd have to get Con 17 for Axe Mastery). Also, the +1 to hit makes a decent DPR difference in favor of the Heavy Blade. Lastly, Large Waraxes deal 2d6 damage, and I'd go for Waraxes, since Gauntlets of Destruction will make them average more damage and Deadly Axe will get them high crit.

I actually need a Heavy Blade or an Axe for Blood Fury, but yeah, at least you got the point.

Oh you're right Large War Axes would be 2d6 not 3d6... Yeah.. the stats for masteries would limit one to heavy blades. Too bad.

No indignation , Just felt that it was a bit of a reach to have an extra Weapon just for the effect, if your never going to use it ( My DM actually only allows us to have 1 weapon with a property at a time or 2 if your a Two weapon fighter, all other weapons we carry would just be normal magic weapons ).

Yeah I don't understand why it's a bit of a reach to have an extra weapon.. I'm sorry but the group you play with seems pretty strict there. Does your DM let you roleplay your character or does he tell you what to do as well?

Quick question, if Versatile Expertise were free, what would you get in its place? Would you consider Quickdraw, and ditch the scabbards? Or maybe improved/superior initiative? Or maybe pick something to be retrained to Beasthide Shifting at Paragon?

The thing I'm hoping that most people get out of this is that this isn't a theoretical build, or an exercise in optimizing. This is a build that anyone could use in a real game, 1-30, and win encounters for Team Hero with it.

While a lot of people were smitten with the solo-slaying Nova of the Lord of the Pits, I'm far more enamored of the practicality of this build. With a stated goal of lonewolfing and taking targets out of play by yourself, it is very, very hard to find builds that do it more effectively than this one.

For starters, the Novas it throws down on a per-encounter basis are tailored to drop the absolute worst-case scenario bad guys. LDB calc'd the DPR based on average defenses for monsters of equal level, but based HP threshholds on the max for a Brute of equal level. In other words, the guys he's dropping with that Nova are exaggerated in toughness. In reallity, this guy drops any Standard monster he faces, and still has a lot left in the tank.

Relating to staying power...

LDB is being very modest. The actual DPR the vast majority of same level monsters deliver to the Trailblazer after level 16 arrives is in single-digits. He can easily hold up under focus fire from two enemies for 4 turns, which is the typical length of time it will take him to drop two same-level Brutes.

To avoid turning this into a wall of text, I'm going to leave it at that.

Thanks, Auspex7 (and thanks for taking the time to pore over the build with me and help me make a couple of hard choices on it).

"The best defense is a good offense." -Gen. George S. Patton
Also known as: LDB.
Got questions on how to build characters for 4E? Check out the Complete Collection of Character Build Links for some advice.
My 4E CharOp Threads: